UCLA Information Studies: Fields of Endeavor || Featuring T-Kay Sangwand (University of Texas)

SAA @ UCLA presents “UCLA Information Studies: Fields of Endeavor.” The Fields of Endeavor series introduces UCLA Library and Information Studies program graduates and current interns who are out in the field taking knowledge learned in the program and putting it to use! We’re excited to present Human Rights Archivist and Brazil Studies Librarian, T-Kay Sangwand!

Name: T-Kay Sangwand
Graduation Year: 2008
MLIS Focus: Archives, Latin American Studies (IS/LAS Dual Degree Program)
Job Title and Site: Human Rights Archivist | Brazil Studies Librarian,
Human Rights Documentation Initiative | Benson Latin American Collection,
University of Texas Libraries

What do you do all day?
This changes daily! My time is split between doing archival work for the Human Rights Documentation Initiative (HRDI) and collection development work as the Brazil Studies Librarian. We receive digital material from our partner organizations in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the US on an ongoing basis so my job is to ensure that the material is safely stored, available for access (if there are no privacy restrictions), and described to the extent possible (creating finding aids, applying metadata). Additionally, this work entails liaising with our partner organizations, on email or in-person.  I also manage an archived web collection of human rights websites and am responsible for maintaining the Human Rights Documentation Initiative web presence. While the HRDI focuses primarily on digital materials, we do have some physical collections so I also work with donors and do some physical processing. Additionally, I have some public service duties like working a shift at the Benson Latin American Collection reference desk and leading instruction sessions related to human rights or Brazil Studies. I supervise one half-time graduate research assistant as well as the occasional volunteer or capstone project for iSchool students. Professional development/involvement – presenting at conferences, peer-reviewing articles – also takes up some time. Also, no one ever told me in grad school how much time is sometimes spent on meetings and various library and university committees!

Most interesting item, record, document, etc. you have come across:
The first collection I worked with when I started here at UT was the Kigali Genocide Memorial testimonies from genocide survivors. In order to familiarize myself with the collections, I read the translated testimonies and was completely floored by the horror, resilience, and hope that their testimonies conveyed. It’s hard to choose one that stood out because all the stories are so powerful, but the testimony of Josephine Murebwayire is one I keep on going back to.